Appeals Court Revives New York’s ‘Taxi of Tomorrow’

A New York state appeals court on Tuesday breathed new life into the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow, ruling against an industry group suing to stop a New York City mandate that would require taxi owners to purchase a specific vehicle.

In a 3-1 decision reversing a lower-court ruling, an Appellate Division panel decided in favor of the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission’s plan for the “Taxi of Tomorrow,” a signature initiative of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The plan to require New York City taxi owners to begin replacing their vehicles with the Nissan NV200 invited legal challenges from the industry. In a lawsuit filed last year, the Greater New York Taxi Association, which represents a group of taxi fleet owners, argued the city’s regulator had overstepped its authority in requiring the gas-powered minivans. A state Supreme court judge later sided with the association.

But the appeals panel found the Taxi of Tomorrow plan to be a legal way to “produce a 21st century taxicab.”

The taxi plan’s future remains unclear. Steven Mintz, an attorney for the taxi-fleet association, said he was disappointed with the court’s decision. The association could take the case to the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. “We’re exploring our further appellate options,” Mr. Mintz said.

Meera Joshi, who is chairwoman of the TLC, said the agency was still reviewing the ruling and its implications, but was “gratified by this latest decision upholding the TLC’s regulatory authority.”

Nissan praised the court’s decision. “Given the specific NYC taxi research and development that Nissan conducted— including crash testing with the installed partition—we are confident that the Nissan NV200 taxi provides a solution that is optimal in safety, comfort and convenience for passengers and drivers alike,” the automaker said in a release.